Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 88

AGREEMENTS RESPECTING TIBET

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the British Government shall continue to occupy the Chumbi Valley until the indemnity has been paid and until the trade marts have been effectively opened for three years, whichever date may be the later.

VIII The Tibetan Government agrees to raze all forts and fortifications and remove all armaments which might impede the course of free communications between the British frontier and the towns of Gyangtse and Lhasa.

IX.-The Government of Tibet engages that, without the previous consent of the British Government-

(a) No portion of Tibetan territory shall be ceded, sold, leased, mortgaged, or otherwise given for occupation, to any foreign Power;

(b) No such Power shall be permitted to intervene in Tibetan affairs;

(No representatives or agents of any foreign Power shall be admitted to Tibet;

No concessions for railways, roads, telegraphs, mining or other rights, shall be granted to any foreign Power, or the subject of any foreign Power. In the event of consent to such concessions being granted, similar or equivalent concessions shall be granted to the British Government;

(e) No Tibetan revenues, whether in kind or in cash, shall be pledged or assigned to any foreign Power, or the subject of any foreign Power.

X.-In witness whereof the negotiators have signed the same, and affixed there- unto the seals of their arms.

Done in quintuplicate at Lhasa, this 7th day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and four, corresponding with the Tibetan date, the 27th day of the seventh month of the Wood Dragon year.

Arrangement BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA CONCERNING TIBET.

The Governments of Britain and Russia recognizing the suzerain rights of China in Tibet, and considering the fact that Great Britain, by reason of her geographical position, has a special interest in the maintenance of the status quo in the external relations of Tibet, have made the following Arrangement:-

I. The two High Contracting Parties engage to respect the territorial integrity of Tibet and to abstain from all interference in its internal administration.

II.-In conformity with the admitted principle of the suzerainty of China over Tibet, Great Britain and Russia engage not to enter into negotiations with Tibet except through the entermediary of the Chinese Government. This engagement does not exclude the direct relations between British Commercial Agents and the Tibetan authorities provided for in Article V. of the Convention between Great Britain and Tibet of September 7th, 1904, and confirmed by the Convention between Great Britain and China of April 27th, 1906; nor does it modify the engagements entered into by Great Britain and China in Article I. of the said Convention of 1906.

It is clearly understood that Buddhists, subjects of Great Britain or of Russia, may enter into direct relations on strictly religious matters with the Dalai Lama and the other representatives of Buddhism in Tibet; the Governments of Great Britain and Russia engage, as far as they are concerned, not to allow those relations to infringe the stipulations of the present arrangement.

III.--The British and Russian Governments respectively engage not to send representatives to Lhassa.

IV. The two High Contracting Parties engage neither to seek nor to obtain, whether for themselves or their subjects, any concessions for railways, roads, tele- graphs and mines, or other rights in Tibet.

V-The two Governments agree that no part of the revenues of Tibet, whether in kind or in cash, shall be pledged or assigned to Great Britain or Russia or to any of their subjects.

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